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| Release Date: | February 8, 1980 (US) |
| Runtime: | 89 min |
| Rated: | R |
| Genres: | Horror, Mystery, Thriller |
| Directed by: | John Carpenter |
| Written by: | John Carpenter, Debra Hill |
| Starring: | Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, Tom Atkins |
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 "Look across the water, into the darkness. Look for The Fog!"
Do you like creepy, old fashioned ghost movies? Do you like John Carpenter films?
If the answer is yes to both, then you need to watch John Carpenter's The Fog.
The Fog concerns a town in California that is getting ready to celebrate its centennial. The night before, an unearthly fog creeps in and....well...I can't say what happens next, because it would ruin the movie. Let's just say the shit hits the fan or whatever phrase you're comfortable with.
The Fog is a genuine fright fest. Oozing atmosphere and suspense out of every pore, it manages to creep and terrify this horror fan continually, unlike most horror movies today which lose their steam after the first viewing. The Fog is timeless. It feels like something you would see in the 50's, but could also take place in modern day settings. It's neither here nor there.
Carpenter once again crafts a cast of terrific actors, and even manages to put in some actors from his previous hit film, Halloween. Adrienne Barbeau is just perfect in her role as Stevie Wayne, the radio DJ. Her voice on the radio is smooth, sexy, and it makes you want to fall in love with her (Selma Blair, take notes!). Soon after the fog arrives in Antonio Bay, she becomes a voice of reason; helping people trapped by the fog get to safety. Barbeau plays it to a T. You really feel for her, and you root her on, even as evil barrels down on her. Carpenter favorites, Tom Atkins and Jamie Lee Curtis, also star as Nick Castle (sound familiar?) and Elizabeth. Atkins does great, as does Curtis, who sticks with what worked for her in Halloween by playing an innocent girl stuck in a wild predicament. As for the supporting cast, you've still got great casting: Janet Leigh, Hal Holbrook, Nancy Loomis, and Charles Cyphers all play roles here and do a wonderful job.
Carpenter's direction and musical scoring are both at the top of their game. Carpenter chose to bring back Halloween director of photography Dean Cundey to work on The Fog, and the two do a superb job. Carpenter's slow pacing and direction and Cundey's lighting create a mood that many movies only can strive for and fail at. Carpenter's electronic score is just as suspenseful and terrifying (maybe even more so) than Carpenter's score for Halloween. Its memorable main theme and its pulse pounding use of synthesizers make it a musical score not soon to be forgotten.
So, if you're in the mood for a suspenseful, creepy, and just a downright great horror film, you certainly can't go wrong with John Carpenter's The Fog.
(JUST DON'T SEE THE REMAKE!)
Mark Warner out (into the fog)! |
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